Bengaluru, Jan 30: In what could prove to be a major setback for the Congress party, senior leader Jayanthi Natarajan has accused party leaders of victimising her.

In a letter addressed to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the letter which was published in The Hindu (read here), Natarajan writes that 'she has suffered the most excruciating mental agony in the past 11 months.'

Natarajan said that she was continuously attacked, wrongly vilified and defamed in the media and exposed to 'every possible humiliation in public life.'

Post the letter was made public, it revealed many cracks within the Congress party. She said in the letter that she had received "specific requests" from Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on environmental clearances and she consequently rejected big-ticket projects despite pressure from Cabinet colleagues seeking approval.

In her letter she demanded for the Congress to make it clear why was she removed as a minister even though the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh praised her for her excellent work.

Natarajan is likely to quit the party today. She is likely to make the announcement today afternoon.